Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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74. To ask the Minister for Social Protection her Department’s strategy relating to the advertising of jobs in foreign jurisdictions to jobseekers here; the number of persons that have been targeted by this strategy; if she will provide figures on those who have taken up employment as a result of this strategy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50877/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Following the integration of certain FÁS services within the Department of Social Protection, the Department has assumed responsibility for public employment services in Ireland. This service includes EURES (European Employment Service) which is a European wide network of all the public employment services in the European Union and the European Economic Area. Under EU regulations, public employment services are obliged to use EURES to advertise employment vacancies throughout Europe and, when requested by another European Public Employment Service, to source applicants for such vacancies. This is considered an important enabler of the single market for labour in Europe.

As part of the EURES network the Department informs jobseekers in Ireland of job opportunities in the wider European labour market which may be of interest to them. At any one time, there are over 1 million vacancies displayed on the EURES website and people are entitled to apply for these jobs as they wish. It is an opportunity for jobseekers in Ireland to seek work in the wider European market. It also provides a system whereby Irish employers can advertise vacancies free of charge throughout Europe in situations where such vacancies cannot be filled by jobseekers in Ireland. A number of large employers have used these services to recruit people with specialist language skills and in so doing have secured the future of their mainly Irish workforce.

From time to time the Department, via EURES, is also asked to assist State or Public employment Services in countries outside of the EU/EEA, typically Canada, Australia and the USA, to advertise and fill vacancies. Depending on the nature of the posts to be advertised the Department will respond positively to such requests on a reciprocal basis. In the past the State and Public Employment Services in these countries facilitated Ireland in advertising vacancies and matching candidates for these vacancies. As part of these reciprocal arrangements the country advertising the posts typically provides assistance in securing employment visas and accommodation for jobseekers.

To date in 2013, approximately 4,000 letters have issued to jobseekers in respect of jobs in Spain, Norway, France and the UK for a range of positions including English teachers, plumbers, sales & hospitality, mechanics and electricians. As jobseekers apply for these vacancies through the EURES portal, it is not possible to know how many people applied for and secured employment using the service.

It is important to note that there is no obligation on unemployed jobseekers in receipt of income supports to apply for overseas vacancies. In notifying jobseekers of such vacancies the Department is simply drawing jobseekers attention to vacancies that exist and that are simultaneously being brought to the attention of jobseekers in other countries. The Department would be failing in its duties if it did not offer Irish jobseekers an equal opportunity to compete for such vacancies if they so wish.